NIGERIA: “Doctrine of Convenience”, 12 2/3, June 12 – echoes from the past in a visitor’s comments

The two commentaries here were posted under “Asamoah Gyan denies murdering rapper in alleged human sacrifice”.

SAMSON A. ADENLE
September 28, 2014 at 2:04 am
Though the Nigerian President has done pretty well, yet the Nigerian Monster has reached full cycle again. Try and read carefully the 1999 Constitution on the section that dealt with how to be a legitimate President of Nigeria and you will see that there is no legitimacy for the Doctrine of convenience … We ought to have had another Election immediately President Yarardua was legitimately confirmed Dead!!! This would have given a legitimate first Term to the incumbent. REMEMBER JUNE 12, aka 12 2/3 …

Reply

September 28, 2014 at 10:34 am Edit

Thanks, Mr. Adenle.

While I’m not sure most Nigerians would agree with your assessment that President Jonathan has done well – forget “pretty well”, I do agree, and was one of the few with access to public attention through weekly essays who wrote about Jonathan’s entitlement to the presidency once Yar Adua was declared dead. I did write, though, that he would never be ALLOWED to do so.

Although I’m no lawyer, there really is no need to have to re-read the Nigerian Constitution to know that the so-called Doctrine of Convenience was fraudulent inasmuch as the position that Candidate Jonathan swore to – because he won along with his principal, the late Alhaji Yar Adua – was Vice President of the Republic of Nigeria. Once Yar Adua was confirmed dead as you write, Jonathan should have become president.

I also agree that what happened after the election that late Moshood Abiola, a.k.a. MKO won fair and square and adjudged to be the fairest in Nigeria’s electoral history, now known as JUNE 12 – after the date of the election – remains another fraudulent sort of Doctrine of Convenience. Ditto the election “victory” of 1979 GIVEN to Shehu Shagari via another fraudulent sort of Doctrine of Convenience through the controversial 12 2/3%of 19 States, now forever known in Nigeria’s checkered election history as 12 2/3.

It did not work in the case of Shagari, nor did it in the case of the chosen-behind-locked-doors for Abiola’s replacement. I understand from your brief comments that Nigeria remains troubled by unfinished business: a political system that remains bedeviled by maneuverings that do not yield the highest post in the country to whoever wins or deserves to be there through succession.

As we are made to understand, Jonathan has yet to decide if he would run or not even though all indications say it’s all-systems-go for him to contest.

Many things have gone wrong during the president’s current term and while I’ve expressed opinions that he should not run in the past based on him standing by and conducting an election in which he would be an unbiased, things are very different now but saying he should not contest now seems a mute point.

Perhaps a single reason exists others for him not to contest this election Corruption, which he promised to fight, saying none would be spared, has gotten worse than ever under his watch to nullify his reported claim that more billionaires have arrived the Nigerian scene during the same period. If he stands down and conducts an election we can all see to be free and fair, he can still manage to erase part of the mistakes of his presidency and work towards a lasting legacy that could earn him statesmanship in Nigerian history.

One of the essays in which my Dr. Jonathan’s “Defining Moments” can be found is from the older blog: